It’s been a genuinely competitive year for nominations — the kind where the five-slot limit in the acting and directing categories doesn’t just sting, it rewrites the whole story. A few “sure thing” names and buzzy performances ended up on the outside looking in, while several inspired (and frankly delightful) picks made it through.
The snubs that surprised me most
Based on the official nominations, some of the biggest shocks (to me) were missing Best Actor nods for Joel Edgerton (TRAIN DREAMS), Jesse Plemons (BUGONIA), and Paul Mescal (HAMNET). I also didn’t expect Chase Infiniti to miss Best Actress for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, or Odessa A’zion to miss Supporting Actress for MARTY SUPREME. On the “wait… really?” side: Ariana Grande didn’t make the Supporting Actress lineup for WICKED FOR GOOD, Guillermo del Toro missed Director for FRANKENSTEIN, and Cannes winner Jafar Panahi also missed in Directing — even though his film appeared elsewhere on the ballot.
The surprise nominations I loved
On the brighter side, I’m thrilled for Kate Hudson landing Best Actress for SONG SUNG BLUE. I also cheered for Elle Fanning making Supporting Actress for SENTIMENTAL VALUE, and Delroy Lindo getting Supporting Actor for SINNERS. And yes — I’m thrilled to see SIRĀT show up in the International Feature section.
Oscar 2026 nominations and predicted winners
The following are the Oscar nominations and my predicted winner for each category.
The Oscars timeline
Nominations were announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The Oscars ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre — hosted by Conan O’Brien and airing on ABC (with streaming on Hulu).
It is the end of another year of wonderful cinema and here is my list of the best films of this year. All the films got my five stars. Catch them on Netflix or Blu-Ray or free-to-air when you can.
In Karl Malakunas’s DELIKADO, the Philippines is portrayed as an environmental paradise under a looming threat of destruction from within. The setting is the island of Palawan, the last remaining frontier of untouched, pristine nature of land and sea in the archipelago’s numerous islands, threatened by heavy illegal logging and unlawful fishing. The film’s three main protagonists are the activist defenders of the country’s natural habitat, but they are just the mighty small Davids to strong mammoth Goliaths who have an edge with power and money, which are the essential armours to rule in this exquisite but divisive nation.
